Drying-kiln.



E. A. HALLAM.

DRYING KILN.

APPLICATION FILED IEBJO, 1913.

Patgnted July 8, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

iamplm o O o o n o O O O 4O o 0 0 o o n /o 0 E. A. HALLAM. DRYING KILN.

APPLICATION FILED FEBJO, 1913.

LGHYJ 10;, Patented July 8, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

r we I greater drying EDWFM AjHALLanpor rom minn, OREGON, Assro'non To @1513. seminar, on PORT- I v 1 LAND, oiiin'eon.

DRYING-KILN.

ine'aiioi To all whom may concern: ,v o

Bea known that I, Enwiri'i i. *HALLAM,

a-citizen of the United States,'residing at tions," and to make these operations more eifective-and withoutany accompanying detrimental effects on the lumber.

I have found, by observation, that when a stack of lumber is confined in a kiln room, i

the portion of the stack which requires the greatest time to become thoroughly dried is located at the center, and somewhat near fil'bOlZfOIfi, and does not become effectively dried until after the operation is practically eoinplete'as to the rest of the stack. This is for the reason that there are relatively wide spaces between the sides ofthe stack at. the

lower portionthereof, and the side Walls ot the inclosure, or the walls of the downdraft ducts, adjacent said side walls, and the air which rises from the heat-ers passesin-large' part through these wide spaces, noting-on the outer side portions of the stack with portions thereof.

According to the present 11'lYCTlh0l1,Sli'{1Gl(]S are arranged adjacent the sides of the stack in such positions that they do not interfere with the effective width of the passageways along which the workmen walk in moving the stack into and Ollhqf the kiln,'

and air circulates downwardly on the outer sides of these shields and is positivelydirected by the/shields under the heaters, risiiig from the; latter uniformly throughout the width ot the stack, and efi'ecting as thorough a drying ofthe central lower of the stack of the sides thereof. Tiiiml'ier drying operations in kiln rooms portion are frequently accompanied by detrimental effects duel-o the fact that the air used to .eilectlilie' drying of the lumber-does notcon-- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed February 10, 1913. Y seriainanimer.

effect than on the central rename July 8, i913.

ity; These detrimental effects can he overcome, ina measure, by checking the drying operations, but this causes SIlOUSLlClHy,

especially in the case of heavy or thick liimher; To obviatethe defect noted, it has heeii proposed to introduce moisture into the air adjacent! the heaters. But in this case, the air takes up too much moisture, a substantial percentage of the moisture con deiises on the'lum'herfand thus the drying operation is retarded.

According to the present"1nyention. moistiireis' introduced into the air, not adjacentthe heaters, but ata; point above the stack, and in the event that'any excess of moisture is taken up by the air, the excess is eon-' densedin the relatively cool spaces under the-heaters. andthe air passes'throu rh the heaters with: an amount of moisture rcqui site to prevent detrimental etl'e'cts oii'the lumber, but not; suliicient to tard' the drying operation v A drying-kiln in'which the features of the invention are incorporatedis illustrated in the accompanying; drawings, wherein FlQllX'i! l. is a transverse vertical sectional view oi. a single track hing-h3g1? is a View showing the features of the invention as up} plied to a double track kiln; and Fig. 3 is a kiln shown in Fig; 1.

Similar characters of reference designate vertical longitudinal sectional View of the ranged, the usual radiators'or heating coils 4. The lumber is stacked in any suitable manner on the thinks, and closely adjacent the sides of the stackfatthe lower portion for the purposes in View, ordinarily ap-. proximately a third of theheight oi the,

stackot lumber. Said shields extend downwardly below the radiators or coils 4.11mi

in connection. with the adjoining side walls (iv of the kiln roomudeiine circulation pas sages 7 through Wh'ioh the air, from the up:

per portion of the room, passes downwardly for reheating. The shields positively cause the air to pass into the space 8 beneath theradiatorsbr coils {1, the air rising 5 through the radiators or coils and being 'heatedotherchy previous to its circulation through the stack 'offlumber. The shields 5 are arranged so closely adjacent to the sides of the stack as to leave nointervening spaces 10 of substantial proportions, and 'to confine the air for the most part. within the stack throughout the lower portion thereof. In this way there are no wide spaces at the sides of the lower portion of the stack into which a large percentage of the heated air can escape and the stack is dried uniformly throughout its Width and to the same degree throughout its central portion as at its sides. Most kiln drying rooms, and especially those which are constructed according to modern standards, have passageways at the sides of the stack through which the work inen walk in pushin the stacks into or out "of the kiln room. n the present'case, the

5 passages 7, throu h which the air passes do\vn\ vardly for re eating, serve also asthe passageways or walkways in which the partial covering of flooring boards."

For the purpose of supplying moisture to the air, a steam pipe 10 1s emplo ed. The essential and important feature 0 this pipe is that it is arranged in the upper portion of the room, preferably adjacent the ceil The pipe 10 is provided Wit-hlatering.

ally directed openings at the sides thereof,

through which small jets of steam issue to mingle with the air rising from the stack.

Any excess of moisture thus taken up by the air is condensed in the space 8 beneath the radiators or heating coils Land the condensed moisture is disposed of in any suitable wa-y. Thc'discha-rgc leg of the pipe 10 need not extend the length of the kiln room. It is sufficient to arrange said dischargev leg adjacent the entrance end of the -room, so that it will be located above the stacks of" green lumber in the positions which they first occupy in the (Fig t-3.)

Fig. 2 shows adouhlc track kiln room.

The outer shields are arranged as shown in Fig. lva-nd above described. The inner B5 shields 5" adjoin one another and define a room,

central passage 7"- which serves the same purpose as the passages 7. Where heating coils arranged betweenthe tracks, the shields 5 terminate adjacent the floor 9, and this floor should be imperforate. The lower portions of the shields ,in such a'case are provided with openings through which the air passes, the air being directed toward the stack by the deflectors ll, arranged at the sides of the floor The features of improvement herein described do not interfere with the use of any approved arrangement of down draft ducts or passages adjacent the walls 6 to promote the. circulation of the air.

Having fully described my invention, I claim:

1. In a drying kiln, a kiln room, rails arrangedtherei'n, heaters located under the rails, and shields extending parallel to the rails and having their lower ends below the heaters, the shields being so located as to be closely associated with the sides of the stack and coacting with theadjacent walls of the kiln room to define passages through which the air circulates downwardly, passing under' the heaters, the shields serving, by virtue of their location, to cause the air which rises from the heaters to pass uniformly through the stack and to effect a uniform .drying of the lower portion of the stack throughout the width thereof.

2. In a drying kiln, a kiln room, rails arranged therein, heaters located under the rails, shields extending parallel to the rails and having their lower ends below the heaters. the shields being so located as to be closely associated with the sides of the stack and coacting with the adjacent walls of the kiln room to define passages through which the air circulates downwardly, pass- Lee ing under the heaters, the shields serving, I

by virtue of their location, to cause the air which rises'from the heaters to pass uniformly through the stack and to effect a uniform drying of the lower portion of the stack throughout the width. thereof, and flooring for the said passages whereby they serve also as walkways.

3.1m adrying kiln, a kiln room, rails arranged therein, heaters for the air, means for causing the air as it leaves the stack to circulate downwardly in relation to the heaters for reheating, and means located in the upper portion of the room and arranged to be above the stack to introduce moisture in the air which rises from the stack previous to its downward circulation. I p {1. In a drying kiln, a kiln room, rails arranged therein, heaters for the air arranged betwccn and below the rails, means for causing the air as it. leaves the stack' to circulate downwardly in relationto the heaterst'or reheatlng, and means located the upper portion of the room, and arranged to be above the stack, to introduce moisture in the air which rises from the slut'li previous to its downward circulation.

5. In a drying kiln, a kiln room, rails arranged therein, heaters located under the rails. shields extending parallel to the rails and having their lower ends below the heat ers, the shields bein so located as to be elosely associated with the sides of the stack and charting with the adjacent Walls of the hiln room to define passages through which the air circulates downwardly, passing under the heaters, the shields serving, by virtue of their location, to cause the air which rises from the heaters to pass uniformly through the. steel: and to eflect a uniform drying of the lower portion of the SttlQlC lhrouiihout the width thereof, and, means loeateil in the upper portion of the room and arrnngi ed to be above the stack to introduce moisture in the air which rises from the stark previous to its downward cireulation.

6. In a drying kiln, a kiln room, heaters for the air, means forcausingthe air, asit leaves the stack, to circulate downwardly in relation to the heaters for reheating, and means located in the upper portion of the room and arranged adjacent the upper end of the stack to introduce moisture in the air which rises from the stack previous to its downward circulation. v

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand. in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

EDWIN A. HALLAM.

\Vitnesses F mnois 8. Hum, 'liiuon'onn l3. liuowx. 

